Linoleum marker



June 22, 194s.

. B. J.. BROWN LINOLEUM MARKER Filed Feb. 11, 1942 ze Z5 ze 520,373??? "erzmfJ/row/z Patented June 22, 1943 LINOLEUM MARKER Bernard J. Brown, Elgin, Ill., assigner of onchalf to Theodore H. Akemann, Elgin, Ill.

Application February 11, 1942, Serial No. 430,453

ilA Claims.

My invention relates to marking devices, some forms of which are called scratch gages, and my main object is to provide a marker particularly adaptable for laying out panels, strips and other decorative effects in linoleums.

A further object of the invention is to devise a marker for the above purpose which is adjustable to suit different spacings of the desired panel, strip or other unit design to be laid in the scheme of the linoleum.

Another object of the invention is to p-rovide a marker which is balanced for uniform action and is reversible.

An important object of the invention is to construct a marker which is sturdy, compact and foolproof.

With the above objects in View and any others which may suggest themselves from the description to follow, a better understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a plan View of a section of linoleum border, showing the novel marker employed on a panel section;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan View of the marker; and

Figs. 4 and 5, respectively, lines 4-4 and 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Modern linoleum laying methods often involve the cutting of panels, borders, strips and other linear units or eiects to produce Various ornamental designs or effects. While the designer may have a sketch or chart showing the layout he intends to create, it is often a difficult matter to so cut the sections to define the particular strips or panels desired as to have them fit properly, particularly when the Walls or baseboards do not square up or are out of line in places. It has therefore been my intention to provide a marker which imparts alinement to units inwardly of the border when the latter has once been determined, all without special effort or accurate knowledge by the operator.

In accordance with the foregoing, specic reference to the drawing indicates a typical floor at I0 and the baseboard of the room in which the floor is laid at II. Primarily, the border of the linoleum design is the rst unit laid, and such a border is indicated at I2.

In preparing the border, it is natural for the operator to rst determine whether the baseboard squares up in its measurements; and it is obvious that the operator will so cut the border are sections on the as to take up out of line conditions or other inaccuracies in the baseboard with a view to 'having the inner edge' I3 of the border measuring up squarely or evenly at all points.

In laying a length of strip material as the next unit inside the border, it may be assumed that this material is taken from a panel section I4 or other piece of linoleum. In order to measure the strip material, one edge of the panel-suchas indicated at I5-is first cut straight and then laid in close proximity to the inner edge I3 of the border I2, the purpose being to mark the panel material with a line I6 representing the Width of the desired strip. Or, the panel may be set more distantly from the border.

The novel marker is in the form of a sturdy plate I'I of cast metal and oblong in form. The plate is built up at the corners with circular bosses I8 having vertical holes I9 in the center. The bosses are tapped from the sides to receive set screws 20 designed to clamp vertical pins 2|. It is intended that only the bosses at one side receive pinssuch as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3-When the marker takes a given course; and the remaimng bosses receive the pins when the marker takes a different course as will be explained in a later section.

The pins 2| are preferably blunt at both ends, and are clamped to project a short distancesuch as 11g of an inch below the plate II; and when the panel I4 is spaced from the border I2 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the space socreated serves as a channel for the guidance of the pins 2| as the marker is slid, such as from the right toward the let in Fig. 1.

The medial portion of the marker is occupied by an arm 22 which is pivoted with one end portion to the plate II as indicated at 23. The arm 22 takes a slight rise as indicated at 22a as vit extends over the plate to surmount an arcuate cross-rib 24 rising from the same. The arm then extends to a point near the opposite end of the plate to terminate with a boss 25 extending upwardly, and also with a downward projection 26 in substantial alinement with the boss 25. The latter and the projection 26 are vertically bored to receive a pin 2'I having a pointed lower end 28; and the boss 25 is tapped from the side to receive a set screw 29 to fasten the pin 21.

The plate Il is made with a wide arcuate slot 36 under the projection 26 to provide a clearance for the same and the pointed end of the pin 2l, such end projecting substantially from the bottom of the plate as indicated in Fig. 4.

The sweep of the arm 22 is controlled by the clamping action of a wing nut 3f operating on a screw 32 directed upwardly from the under side of the plate. The latter is made with an arcuate slot 33 on its under side to receive the head 34 of the screw 32, the latter passing through a narrower slot 35 in the ribbed portion 25 of the plate and a hole 33 in the forward portion 22a of the arm 22 before receiving the wing nut 3i. It is thus possible to fix the arm 2?. in the centrai position indicated in Figs. 3 and 4, or in the oblique position indicated in Figs. i and 2, or any other such position.

With the marker laid as seen in Figs. l and 2, the position of the arm 22 is such as to place the pointed pin 2l even with the marking line it, so that the sliding of the marker to the left will impart a scratch line to the linoleum material in true parallelism with the border line which guides the marker.

The operation of the marker as just described must stop when the end of the border line or space is reached, in which event the scratch line will terminate a certain distance back, because of the rear position ofthe scratch point 28. in order that the scratch line may be made to the end of the border line, the marker is picked up, the pins 2l removed to the opposite side and clamped in the corresponding bosses, the marker turned to reverse its position, and the arm 22 swung to a position coinciding with the marked scratch line, then being secured in such position by the wing nut 3i. The marker is now seated as denoted by dotted lines in i, indicating that it has been slid the additional distance to bring the scratch line it practically to the end of its course, so that the strip 2% ,so formed is ready to be cut apart from the panel lf3. Also, the double pin bearings for the marker enable it to be used from either side, as may be convenient to the workman.

It will be evident from the above description that I' have provided a small and compact instrument for alining strips or other sections inside of a linoleum border, the work being accurate and quick. The adjustability of the arm 2'?. enables it to be set to any desired. spacing with ease and promptness, greatly expediting the work of marking and laying-the linoleum sections. The device is reversible as previously mentioned; and the raised portion 2f?. enables the arm 22 to be swung with a minimum amount of friction. Altogether, the novel marker is an article of simple and sturdy design, and of a nature to become familiar and handy to any person working on linoleums.

While I have described the invention along specic lines, various minor changes and reiinernents may be made without departing from its principle, and I declare to consider al1 such changes and refinements as coming within the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A marker for linoleums and the like comprising a slidable plate having elements at one side for guiding the plate along a given course, and means between the sides of the plate adjustable to mark a line on the linoleum in parallelism with said course at different distances from the latter, said elements comprising bearings at the front 'and rear of the plate, and vertical pins secured in said bearings and projecting below the plate.

2. A marker for linoleums and the like comprising a slidable plate having elements at one side for guiding the plate along a given course,

'and means between the sides of the plates adjustable to mark a line on the linoleum in parallelism with said course at diiferent distances from the latter, said elements comprising vertically-bored bosses at the front and rear of the plate, pins seating in said bosses and projecting below the plate, and set screws entering the sides of the bosses to secure the pins thereto.

3. A marker for linoleums and the like comprising a slidable plate having elements at one side for guiding the plate along a given course, and means between the sides of the plate adjustable to mark a line on the linoleum in parallelism with said course at different distances from the latter, said means being an arm pivoted at one end of the plate to swing thereover, and a marking device carried by the free end of the arm, the plate being perforated for the passage of said marking device to contact the linoleum.

4. A marker for linoleums and the like comprising a slidable plate having elements at one side for guiding the plate yalong a given course, and means between the sides of the plate adjustable to mark a line on the linoleum in parallelism with said course at different distances from the latter, said means being an arm pivoted at one end of the plate to swing thereover, and a marking device carried by the free end of the arm and adjustable from side to side by the swing of the arm, the plate having an arcuate slot for the passage of the marking device at any point in its adjustment to contact the linoleum.

5. A marker ior linoleums and the like comprising a slidable platehaving elements at one side for guiding the plate along a given course, and means between the sides of the plate adjustable to mark a line on the linoleum in parallelism with said course at different distances from the latter, said means being an arm pivoted at one end of the plate to swing thereover, and a marking device carried by the free end of the arm, said marking device comprising a verticallyperforated enlargement at said free end, and a pin seating in the perforation of the enlargement and extending downwardly with Ia point.

6. A marker for linoleums and the like comprising a slidable plate having elements at one side for guiding the plate along a given course, and means between the sides of the plate adjustable to mark a line on the linoleum in parallelism with said course at different distances from the latter, said means being an arm pivoted at one end of the plate to swing thereover, and a marking device carried by the free end of the arm, said marking device comprising a verticallyperforated enlargement at said free end, a pin seating in the perforation of the enlargement and extending downwardly with a point, and a set screw in the side of the enlargement to secure thel pin.

7. A marker for linoleums land the like comprising a slidable plate having elements at one side for guiding the plate along a given course, and means between the sides of the plate adjustable to mark a line on the linoleum in parallelism with said course at different distances from the latter, said means being an arm pivoted at one end of the plate to swing thereover, a marking device carried by the free end of the arm, and means to secure the arm at any point in its swingy said securing means being a screw passed from the plate through the arm, and a wing nut over thel latter to receive the screw.

8. A marker for linoleums and the like com.-

prising `a slidable plate having elements at one side for guiding the plate along a given course, and means between the sides of the plate adjustable to mark a line on the linoleum in parallelism with said course at dierent distances from the latter, said means being an arm pivoted at one end o-f the plate to swing thereover, a marking device carried by the free end of the arm, and means to secure the arm at any point in its swing, said securing means being a screw passed from the plate through an arcuate slot in the plate having the radius of the arm and through a hole in the latter, 'and a wing nut over the arm to receive the screw.

9. A marker for linoleums and the like comprising a slidable plate having elements at one side for guiding the plate along a given course, and means between the sides of the plate adjustable to mark a line on the linoleum in parallelism with said course at different distances from the latter, said means being an arm pivoted at one end of the plate to swing thereover, a marking device carried by the free end of the arm, and means to secure the arm at any point in its swing, said securing means being a screw passed from the plate through an 'arcuate slot in the plate having the radius of the arm and through a hole in the latter, and a wing nut over the arm to receive the screw, the screw having head on the bottom, and the bottom of the slot being chambered to seat said head.

BERNARD J. BROWN. 

